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Holidays

Sugared cranberries are so easy to make and are very impressive as a dessert topping on cakes and pies, or as a cocktail garnish as we like to use them – see our Cranberry Shrub below. They are wonderfully tart and crunchy, and make a fun and addictive popping sound when you bite into them. Great…

Chocolate bark is such an easy and festive candy to make during the holidays, or anytime really. Most commonly you’ll see combinations of pistachio, cranberry or dried apricot used along with white chocolate, but we also love using dried tart cherries when we can get a hold of them. To make this beautiful bark follow the easy…

Shrubs, also known as drinking vinegars, were popular in Colonial times. For this cranberry shrub cocktail, we used a simple and quick recipe. To make the shrub syrup, in a medium-sized pot add one bag of cranberries, one cup of apple cider vinegar, one cup of sugar and a cinnamon stick and stir together. Bring to a boil…

Coquilles Saint-Jacques is the French word for scallops, meaning “shells of St. James.” The same word refers to the classic French recipe of preparing scallops on top of a bed of mushrooms and shallots, and then broiling them with a rich gruyère sauce. There are a few fantastic versions of the legend behind the French name for…

Underberg was completely unknown to us until I discovered a mysterious box of these 4″ high little bottles at the New Hampshire liquor outlet and rest stop on 95 on the way back from Maine last year. I was instantly mystified by the packaging art – see the photo below (that’s no moon) and with…

The origins of the French 75 cocktail are somewhat debatable, with claims to both a British and a French birthplace since the drink gained popularity at the same time in both countries. The “proper” recipe is still sometimes debated as either using gin or cognac, with gin likely owing to a supposed British origin, and…

These herbed and spiced nuts are great to serve as a simple appetizer, or alongside your favorite beer or cocktail. For some glorious cocktail hour suggestions, which pair well with this crunchy treat, try some of our popular recipes below: Cosmopolitan Cocktail Blood Orange Margarita Perfect Manhattan Calvados and Maple Syrup Cocktail Dark and Stormy…

It’s a band! It’s a plane! It’s… the B-52 Cocktail! Since its appearance in the 70s, debate still surrounds the true origin of this cocktail’s name. Nevertheless, whether it was named after an American long-range bomber or a new wave band from Georgia, this drink’s fame quickly soared to the top of the charts and…

The Cosmopolitan, like any great fashion icon, has gone in and out of popularity over the years. After suddenly being launched into the lime light, then inevitably cast aside as being passé, this potion should always remain a staple of your cocktail wardrobe. Originally made with Citron Vodka, this head-turning beauty owes its start to…

‘Tis the season for Blood Oranges. The holidays are long over and out of the way making room for us to celebrate peak citrus season. Dating back to the 15th century, Blood Oranges were first cultivated in the Mediterranean in Southern Italy and are a natural mutation of the sweet orange. In the US they are now…

Eggnog has its roots in 17th century Europe, and perhaps even earlier, where it seems to have descended from a medieval drink called posset, a milky drink made with ale or wine. As milk and eggs were difficult to come by in England through the 19th century, this kind of dairy-based drink was usually enjoyed by…

Macaroons have a blurry history, as many old recipes do, but according to The Nibble magazine and some culinary historians, this cookie’s history can be traced back to an Italian monastery. The recipe for this meringue-like cookie, originally made with egg whites and ground almonds, evolved over time to include food colorings and various fillings…

If you’re looking for an easy weeknight meal, this is not the dish you’re looking for. Duck à l’Orange is not difficult to make but it does take some time and attention, for which you will be greatly rewarded. Crispy duck skin rivals bacon any day. This has now become our Christmas Eve tradition, we…

Mendiants are a French confection that are popular at celebrations or given as gifts around Christmas time. They were traditionally studded with nuts and dried fruits chosen to represent the robe colors of the four monastic orders, or mendicants, of the church: raisin for the Dominicans, hazelnut for the Augustinians, fig for the Franciscans and…

The basic components of a Daiquiri are rum, a sweetener, lime juice and ice and it’s not surprising that this simple balance of ingredients really allows the rum to stand out. Emerging out of Cuba in the early 1900’s, where there was an abundance locally produced rum, lime and sugar, the cocktail quickly grew in…

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About Paul & Andrea

We are internationally published interior, food & drink photographers living in beautiful Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Together we collaborate on The Framed Table, a photographic journal looking into our explorations of the culinary world & travel.